WI local:Holder confident of Busta Cup play

Roland Holder is quietly confident that he will be able to tell the Barbados cricket selectors that he will be available for the opening match of the 2001 Busta Cup early next month.

The 32-year-old experienced middle-order batsman was yesterday named in a squad of 21 to prepare for the tournament in spite of a finger injury that has sidelined him since October.

Holder reported encouraging progress on the injury yesterday and said he would be in a better position to make an assessment after a visit today with surgeon Winston Seale.

"I'm very optimistic of being able to tell the selectors that I will be available for January 5. "After that, it's up to them, but the finger has come along quite nicely," Holder told nationsport yesterday at the Bank Hall ground where his club Empire were moving towards the Courts/Suzuki Division 1 title.

"The finger has been responding very well. I just hope that it continues to respond as well as it has been doing." He injured his right little finger in attempting to take a catch off fast bowler Patterson Thompson while keeping wicket in a Division 1 match. In the process, the dislocation of the joint tore the tendons off the bone and he underwent surgery on October 19 to reattach them. The pin holding the tendons was removed on November 29, but before that, Holder was getting therapy and doing exercises on the hand.

His inclusion among the shortlist of Barbados contenders has also dispelled speculation about an imminent retirement. "I haven't indicated formally to anyone that I am going to retire," Holder said. "Until I indicate formally when I retire-and I will inform the media when I do retire-I will let it be known that I have not retired."

The 21 announced yesterday did not include batsman Dale Richards, who is battling a knee injury, nor left-arm fast bowler Pedro Collins, who is out with a back ailment. It also appears that all-rounders Ryan Hurley and Antonio Mayers, both of whom were in the Barbados team for last October's Red Stripe Bowl, have fallen out of favour.

The squad will start training today at Weymouth. It follows a decision to scrap the final trial match to allow for more meaningful practice.

It is expected that the selectors will reduce the squad to 16 by the end of the week. They will also put forward the names of four players to be considered for the West Indies "B" team.

The 21: Philo Wallace, Adrian Griffith, Floyd Reifer, Roland Holder, Ryan Hinds, Sean Armstrong, Shirley Clarke, Dave Marshall, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore, Anderson Sealy, Dayne Maynard, Callitos Lopez, Patterson Thompson, Hendy Bryan, Corey Glasgow, Patrick Browne, Ryan Austin, Sulieman Benn, Marlon Franklyn, Kurt Wilkinson.